The Caribbean, well more so, Trinidad, has a greater–than–decent punk following. The 'rock scene' has been splintered into sects. Punk rockers here and metalheads there and such. This fracture however doesn't embellish the fact that there's heart and soul that needs to be refined because there's immense potential lingering under the sun. Solman is just that.
His acoustic, peace–loving work as a solo artist stands out as a mellow, cool scene. "Gaia" opens the record, and hippie– Well, not really. Mother Nature. Being one with the Earth. Not really a far–fetched concept. In fact, with the lush and tropic beauty there...this is the essence that protrudes the most. Narratives were best told when the likes of Bob Marley, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan and John Lennon took a stand. Solman isn't that kind of legend but then again, who is– What's clear is the simplicity and enchantment in his acoustic renditions.
"Drum" adds that pacifying and tribal tone most frequently associated with the Caribbean and while you sense that the predominant exposure of Caribbean struggles to find its way onto the record, you get enough to know Solman's island–cool mellow vibe. However, there is the risk of running repetitive with so many acoustic songs. Keep it shorter –– four or five tracks, would be my advice to Solman. But that aside, the positivity and anti–superficial exposition on "This Too Shall Pass Away" lends credence in the fight against an inbred materialistic vibe in the region, which hinders true creatives from flourishing. Hope, inspiration and aspiration beckons exceptionally on the title track and Solman's music is something I hope to see leave a lasting mark. 'Together we aspire, together we achieve' and 'Discipline, Production and Tolerance' are the motto and watchwords for this Trinidad native, literally...and he's modeled his music well after them. He fashions a lot of betterment into his simple strums and melodic, husky delivery.
The album's strong on faith...in whatever you want to place faith in. Nothing too political exists but it's a chill bunch of tunes, emotionally resonating in the least. There isn't an inkling of loquacious diatribe needed when "Rising Tide" hits and fans of Koji, Grey Gordon and Into.It.Over.It would appreciate Solman more than the average listener. Of course, there's room for improvement but this is a spot of brightness when you ingest Solman's messages. "Many Roads" has violins tapered onto its core, which shows that Solman wants to provoke the inner–affectations of the listener. He succeeds. By a mile.